5 things to know about Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Monaco

On Sunday, one of the strangest European football seasons to remember will finally come to an end when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Bayern Munich meet in the Champions League final.

The respective champions of France and Germany will compete for the biggest prize in European club football at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon.

Here are five things you need to know about the match.

Both teams are in terrifying form

As has become the norm in recent years, both PSG and Bayern have won their national championships at a gallop this season. PSG were leading by 12 points when the championship was dropped in France and they were subsequently crowned champions. It is the club’s seventh Ligue 1 title in the past eight years.

Bayern, meanwhile, finished 13 points clear of Borussia Dortmund. He has won eight consecutive Bundesliga titles and is in contention in all competitions with 28 wins and one draw.

On their respective paths to the Champions League final, things have been easier for Bayern. The Bavarian club have scored a staggering 42 goals in 10 games in the competition, including a stunning 8-2 win over Barcelona in the quarter-finals. PSG needed two late goals to beat Atalanta in the quarter-finals before a routine win against RB Leipzig to warm up for the final.

The attackers are up there with the best in the world

The spearhead of Bayern’s powerful attack is striker Robert Lewandowski. Considered by many to be the best number 9 in the world, the Polish forward has scored 55 goals this season that are almost credible, the most of any other player in Europe. To support him, expert Thomas Muller is always a threat and Serge Gnabry is living the season of his life, with nine Champions League goals including a cracker in the semi-final win against Lyon.

On the other hand, PSG boasts Neymar, often frustrating but undeniably brilliant. The Brazilian is the most expensive player in the world and one of the best. The 28-year-old will be desperate to claim his first Champions League title since winning with Barcelona in 2015. If Neymar manages to successfully tie himself to explosive Kylian Mbappé, PSG has a real chance to hurt Bayern.

Defenses give possibilities

While both finalists are clearly very good teams, neither have a completely watertight defense. Bayern’s victory over Lyon was pleasant in the end, but the French had good chances in the match. Bayern should recover Jerome Boateng from injury as center-back, but the high line of team play could be ideal for Neymar and Mbappé to exploit.

PSG will rely on Marquinhos and Ander Herrera’s midfield shield to protect their back four from Bayern forwards. The pairing of central defender Presnel Kimpembe and Thiago Silva is solid but not infallible. It’s a huge match – and probably his last for PSG – for Silva, who at 35 is susceptible to quick counterattacks.

Exciting young people could make a difference

Mbappé has a chance to do something that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo have succeeded in – and only 21 years old. Should PSG triumph, they will join the exclusive club of players who have won both the Champions League and the World Cup. Lightning-fast advancement will be a key player for PSG, but it seems immune to any major game pressure.

Another interesting client is Bayern flying full-back Alphonso Davies. Still a teenager, Davies was a revelation this season and already talks about himself as one of the best left backs in the world. Davies is set to become the first male Canadian player to play in a Champions League final – Kadeisha Buchanon and Ashley Lawrence played in the 2017 Women’s Champions League final.

History is on Bayern’s side

Bayern are aiming to win their sixth Champions League title and have reached the final 10 times. His most recent victory was in 2013 and he also won the trophy for three consecutive years, in 1974, 1975 and 1976, and again in 2001.

PSG, on the other hand, is in its first Champions League final. However, the French club should take comfort in the fact that this is Bayern’s first final since 2013. And PSG have the best head-to-head record, with five wins in matches between clubs in this competition.